Lagos-Nigeria. As Africa gears up for an estimated 230 million digital jobs by 2030, Nkebet Mesele, Founder and CEO of Intreensic, a payments education and advisory firm, is sounding the alarm on a growing talent shortfall.

In a recent interview on Global Business Report by Arise News, Mesele warned that the continent’s digital economy will struggle to reach its full potential unless fintech, payments, and digital education systems rapidly evolve.

“We have the roles—what we don’t have are the skilled professionals to fill them,” she said. “Without urgent investment in practical, specialized training, Africa risks missing a generational opportunity to lead in global digital finance.”

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, technology-related roles, including fintech engineers, AI and machine learning experts, software and application developers,  alongside big data specialists—are among the fastest growing opportunities globally. But Mesele cautions that Africa risks being left behind unless its workforce is equipped for these evolving roles.

“The payments and fintech ecosystem in Africa is growing at a remarkable pace, but do we have the right skills to power this growth?” she asked, drawing on over 17 years of experience across global and African digital payments markets."

“The emergence of fintech unicorns like Flutterwave, Paystack, and Interswitch—originating in Nigeria and expanding across Africa, demonstrates the continent’s capacity to lead in digital innovation. But innovation without talent is unsustainable. If we truly want to harness the full potential of Africa’s digital economy, investing in scalable, specialized payments and fintech education must become a priority across Africa.” concludes Mesele.

Through Intreensic, Mesele is reimagining payments education on the continent. Courses are delivered through a state-of-the-art online learning management system, providing flexibility and accessibility for learners across Africa.

With participants already enrolled from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, Intreensic's digital platform facilitates a rich learning experience, featuring engaging content, interactive sessions, and real-world case studies.

The company plans to further expand its footprint by establishing localized operations in key African markets, ensuring that education and expertise become more accessible to anyone involved in the payments sector.